1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a case for storing and dispensing an elongate surface-type fastener, and more particularly to such a case for storing male and female surface-type fastener tapes separately therein and drawing out the tapes in a mating combination as a continuous surface-type fastener which may be cut off for use or sale.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One conventional case for storing and dispensing a surface-type fastener is disclosed in French Patent No. 2415595. The disclosed case has a shaft therein and houses a spool with a male surface-type fastener tape wound thereon and another spool with a female surface-type fastener tape wound thereon. The spools are fitted side by side over the shaft. The male and female surface-type fastener tapes can be unreeled off the respective spools and drawn out of the case through a slot defined in a side wall of the case while the tapes are being mated together as a continuous surface-type fastener.
The shaft which supports the spools is fixedly positioned in the case by removable bushings. Therefore, when the tapes are fully unwound from the spools, it is time-consuming to replace the spools with new spools on which respective tapes are wound. Further, as the length of the tape wound on a spool is reduced, the position where the tape is unreeled off the spool is varied, i.e., shifted radially inwardly toward the center of the spool. Since the slot through which the tape can be withdrawn is open in a fixed direction, the tapes as wound from the spools at such varying position may not be properly brought into mating engagement.